Itsaso huffed and puffed under the weight of her kill. Her chubby form made the gazelle look even smaller than it was, but her roundness hid her strength. Ever pushing her, her mother had trained her to have muscls of steel, wrapped as they were in squishy flab. As far as she was concerned, some pudge was attractive. It showed that clearly she was a good huntress.
And today she'd been better than even usual. She'd gone out to get a hare or two as a gift for Sant'Iris, and instead found a small group of gazelle. Even alone, she'd been able to bring one down, and now she was rushing it home to the den they'd started to share. She dropped it with a thump on the sand and poked her head in. "Sant? You there honeycakes? I caught dinner!"
Yes he had been there, all day actually. Sant’ Iris was practicing putting a certain kind of bead on a very particularly small black thread. He had found some beautiful blue beads out on his walk yesterday and he wanted to find out what would match with it. The pink little lion had search throughout his entire bead and had found the perfect match, deep indigo bead that match wonderfully with the ocean blue color. All he head to do was bead them the entire necklace. It was actually going to a gift to his girlfriend Itsaso. They had been going steady for a long time and every minute spent with her was wonderful.
Smelling the scent from about a fourth of a mile awhile he knew that Itsa was close. He felt bad that she had to hunt for them but at alas it was not in his nature. The shy, quite little guy was never much of a fighter and he had grown to know that. Hearing his voice he quickly placed the half beaded necklace down on the pile of beads and responded “Yes…. I’m here.” As he spoke he gently move up from there den. Looking up on her he blushed. Every time he placed on his eyes on her he blushed. He couldn’t help it and he wasn’t sure why…
Aha! There he was. She smiled widely, unabashed, and tugged him to her. She nuzzled him, pressing her head to his, and slipping along his side. She had always been the bolder of the two of them, but that suited her fine. They complimented each other. And Sant was the only one who really understood why she was teh way she was. And he loved her for it, she thought.
"Have you been working in the den all day?" She tsk tsked at him and shoved him towards the gazelle. "You should get out more, sweetiepie! Here, eat? You look like you haven't eaten all day!" She sat down and watched him expectantly. Of course, she needed him to eat the food. Then he could tell her she'd done a good job getting it. She knew she had, but praise from him was special to her. "I caught it by myself. Imagine that! Just for you too, so don't look so down! Eat!"
And there was her wonderful, outgoing personality, pulling him close to her. As she snuggled and showed her affection for him, he turned a bright red, which was not unusually for him because he had always done it before. Before he was push away he sneak in a few affection rubs against her too. It wasn’t unlikely for Iris to ever show that he was affection but when he had the chance he showed it. He always wanted to show how much he loved this lioness; she was the only one that was really nice enough to share some time with him. He nodded as she spoke, “Mhmm I have on a very…” he paused as he didn’t want to give away his secreted. He wasn’t sure to say so he kind of just sputtered out so random word to finish off his phrase. Luckily for him, Itsa always had something else to say so maybe just maybe she wouldn’t notice that he really didn’t finish off his sentence. He smiled up to her, “Well maybe we can…go on….umm on a walk perhaps?” he said blushing? He wasn’t sure if she would agree but it was worth a try. The only time when he would really get out of his den was to go on walks or because of her.
Smiling again he gently took a mouthful of meat and blood and swallowed it down. It was wonderful, he love the taste of fresh gazelle and even more because his girlfriend had brought it too him. Smiling, he gently took another bite and place in front of her. He knew that show would want a piece soon and he wanted to impress her by always thinking about her. His ears perked up as she spoke once again and smiled. “You did! That’s wonderful. I bet you were amazing out there.” he said blushing even more. Swallowing his spit he moved over and gently gave her a soft lick. He looked away and took a giant bite of the gazelle just too soon her how pleased he was.
She sat back on her haunches and smiled. Iris was so sweet, and he doted on her (just like she'd told him to) just how she liked. Of course she felt much the same about him as he did about her. There was no one she'd rather spend time with or hunt for or come home to. And she was careful not to take advantage of his quiet nature.
She gobbled up the piece he offered her--of course she'd have more later, but this pleased her. But she was easily bigger than her, and she intended to see some meat onto his bones. His big bites made her smile and nod. "It's good? Good! And yeah, we'll walk. I'm sure whatever you're making can wait." He was right that she hadn't paid attention to what he'd said earlier. It wasn't that his work wasn't important to her, but he'd seemed to forget what he was saying, so there was no reason to bring it back up.
He smiled again, and of course it was because of her. Nothing really made him smile more then her. He looked back down at the gazelle and took another bite. He knew that she worried about him with eating; it was because he spent too much time down in the den. He just love his work, every since he was a little cub he loved to look at the wonderful art that was being created by the elders of the pride. It was something he always looked for and he just didn’t want to let anyone down but he also didn’t want his to let his girlfriend down. He didn’t want to loose her. Thinking about his last thought he grew pale. He had never really thought about losing Itas and wasn’t sure what he would do without her and without a second thought he quickly went into the den.
Hurrying himself up, he quickly put the rest of the bead on the necklace and place it in-between his teeth and quickly moved out of the den. Dropping it next to her, he blush and with a quick impulse he blurted, “Will you stay with me forever?” He wasn’t sure what he was really doing but all he knew was that he couldn’t loose Itas and the only way he thought that he wouldn’t loose her was asking her to be with him forever. He didn’t think of this as being as marriage purposely but more of “I can’t loose you”. Plus Itas had asked him to be her boyfriend so it was his half-a** way to get her back?
He wasn’t sure what to next so he quietly sat on his hunches blushes from cheek to cheek waiting for a responds.
Well. Itsa certainly hadn't expected this! Iris was never one to make a move, and here he'd...proposed to her? She was a little taken aback, and a little impressed. And to be honest, it felt good. Like relief washing over her. Part of her'd been secretly afraid he'd only been with her because she made him. But now...he wanted her to stay. Forever. He'd asked her, not her asking him.
She eyed the beads. Blue...like the sea. Like the sea that had brought her here, to this strange land, so long ago. In a way, it'd brought her to him.
"Stupid." She shoved him gently, not looking at him. Her cheeks turned redder for a change, and she fought to make herself look at him. "Of course I'll stay! Dummy!" She pushed him again and laughed. "Who else can I share bananas with? Who else can I talk to, and be best friends with, and love? Who else came from somewhere far away to be here? You're the only one for me, Iris. You didn't know that?"
He waited a bit impatiently for Itsa to talk, which was out of character for this lion. He was not one to be impatient but he wanted to know an answer because frankly he was rather nervous. What if she would say no? He wouldn’t really know what to do with himself after that. She was his everything and if he would reject her then he would just crawl in his den and never come out again. Watching her scan over the necklace his gently waged his tail. His mind was rushing and so was his heart. His poor stomach was in knots which was not good after healthy mouthful of gazelle, but of course he stay there and waited and waited some more. He would wait a thousand years if he had too.
“Stupid?” he repeated in his mind. He wasn’t sure what that meant but then a gently shove came and it was even more confused. And then the words rushed out of her wonderful muzzle and he light out a long breath, knowing that he would forever have Itsa. As she talk again he smiled and turned a bright reddish-pink hue and laugh gently. And then the word love came out and his ears perked up slightly. Did she feel the same way also? That would be just brilliant. And before she was able to say anything else he blurted, “You love me too? “ He pause and sallow some spit and pronounced, “ um… I kind of really love you too.” He wasn’t sure if his face could get even brighter but it did, the brightest it has ever gone. But that’s because he was saying the secret he felt since well he met her. He really didn’t hear anything else but all he could was snuggle up next to his love.
"Well duh. Why'd you think I was staying around? Why'd you think I was worrying that you needed to get out more? Why'd you think I wanted to be sure you got lots to eat? That's what you do when you love someone. You take care of them!" She butted her head against his and licked his cheek. He was blushing (so cute!) and she laughed and shook her head. "Come on then! I'll tuck the gazelle down in the den, you can help me get that trinket on...if it's done. Is it? I'm no good with making things, I can't tell...and then we'll go for a walk!"
Without waiting on him she snatched up the meal and stashed it away. Ever since cubhood she'd been very serious about protecting food that was hers, and that hadn't changed at all. She poked her head back out of the den and looked up at the sun. "You ready? It's already starting to head towards sunset...it's a great time to walk. Romantic and all, right?
Oh..He should of figure. Why else would Itsa do those entire things if she didn’t love him? He shook his head and smiled at the thought. She was so nice to think about him all the time and it was nice to think that she was on his mind too. He smiled again; if to care of someone is to be in love then he would make his job because he loved her very much. He blinked a walk already! It was so soon what if he said something dumb or stupid. He wasn’t good at talking to other and she knew that but a walk, a walk a lot different. It was worse. He could trip or not keep up; it was just so much you could fail on, on a walk.
bunnyilove:
And before he was able to talk she was already dragging the gazelle in the den. It was on of Itsa amazing quality she always thought one thought ahead. He didn’t have to worry about things because he knew that Itsa was always thinking about thinks before he could even think of them. He looked back at the necklace and smiled. “Well it’s done but I kind of rush it because well… you know” he said looking away and blushing. “But I’m sure it will look on you because… everything looks good on you” he finish. So he grab the necklace and help her put and on and started to walk. “I’m ready!” he said with a smile.
She clambered from the den, shaking off some sand, and nodded. "Help me with that and then we'll go." She stepeed up to him and eyed the trinket. "Is it for my neck? Or around my paw?" She sat back on her haunches and blinked at it. She was good at eating and hunting and taking care of Iris. Not working with things like this. Ah well. That was why it was so great to have Iris!
"Aww, you're sweet, Iris." She loved when he complimented her. "You should make yourself one, yeah? Then we can match. Oh, and...we'll need to go talk to a priest sometime." She blushed again. Funny, she usually never blushed. It was still a new thought, to be mates with someone. That's why she wanted to see a priest. They could make it official. It already felt like it was though, in her heart.
He smiled; of course he would help her. He felt good that she was out of her element because she could help her for once. He lightly too the necklace and place it around her arm. “It’s a bracelet…….I hope you like it.” He said with a slight smile. He felt good inside. His girlfriend…well his wife? Could he call her, his wife? They weren’t official married yet but in his heart he knew that she was his wife.
He smiled and lightly blushed at her compliment. It was nice when she said things about him. It made him feel warm inside. His ears perk as she talked once again. He smiled and lightly nodded. She was so clever. He would have never thought that, and yet she did.
“Oh I will have to find some more beads but I will make another one because it would be nice to match my love.” he said smiling. He liked lightly putting a compliment at the end. He hoped that she would notice and would enjoy it. And again another great idea came out of her mouth. He didn’t think about when they were going to tight the not but since she wanted to then they would soon. “Um yes.. we will.” he said blushing even more. Lightly licking his cheek he began to walk.
